Coin-controlled device



Jad. 17, 1928.

L. c. WETZEL COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 23.. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Jan. 17, 19218.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, I

LEWIS CALVIN WETZEL, OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, OA NADA ASSIGNOR- TO. TOLEIDO SCALE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

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Application filed June 23, 1923. Serial No. 647,214.

This invention relates to weighing scales, and particularly to coin-controlled devices for rendering then operative, and one of its principal objects is the provision of a device of this kind which cannot be chocked or jammed by coins or' slugs ofodd'shapes and sizes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of coin-controlled locking means adapted to be incorporated in a wellrknown existing type of weighing scale.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a coin-controlled device which normally holds the indicating mechanism of an automatic scale in locked condition but per-' mits the automatic load'countenbalancing mechanism to operate when a load is applied to the scale platform and unlocks the indicating mechanism when a: load is placed on the platform and a coin is deposited.

Another object is the provision of coincontrolled means for locking the indicating mechanism of anautomatic; scale in combination with means, operative when a coin is deposited, to move the-indicating mech: anism to a position determined by the previously assumed position of. the automatic load-counterbalancing mechanism of the scale.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin-controlled locking device for the indicating mechanism of an automatic scale, the operation of which does not in any way affect the accuracy of the scale.

Another object is the provision of a lock.- ing device of this kind which permits only. one weighing to be made when a coin is deposited. I V p And still another objectis the provision. of such a coin-controlled locking device which may be easily and economically inanufactured and which is not liable to'get out. of order.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent from the following description, in. which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred. embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings Figure I is a rear elevational View of the head echanism of an automatic scale hav urn-r invention applied thereto;

Figure II is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line II.-II of F1 are I;

figure III is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially V on the line III -III of Figure I;

Figure IV is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing part of the coilicontrolled locking mechanism;

Figure V' is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing some of the elements of my invention; I

Figure. VI is an enlarged fragmentary frontelevational view of the parts shown in Figure V; H

Figure V II is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View showing a coin receiver" and coin-releasing-device employed in my inven tion; and

Figure VIII is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Figure VII. I

Referring tothe drawin s in detail, the head mechanism of the so; e in connection with which I have illustratedmy invention is enclosed in a substantially watch-case shaped housing 1 within which is supported a frame 3 that carries automatic loadcounterbalancing mechanism which consists of a pair of oppositely-swinging pendulums 4 suitably connected by means of a rod 5to platform lever mechanism (not shown). Since the load-counterbalancing mechanism is of the well-known type described in UnitedStates patent to HapgoodNo. L203.- 611, I shall not describe it in detail. When a person steps upon the platform of the scale, the rod 5 is pulled'downwardly, causing the pendulums to swing outwardly and upwardly until the load on. the scale platform is counterbalanced.

Connected with the pendulums 4 so as to be moved vertically upwardly as the pendulums swing to counterbalance a load is a rack bar 6 which meshes with a pinion 7 fixed upon a shaft 8 that is mounted in antifriction bearings 9 in theframe 3, so that .whenever a person steps upon the platform 3, the pawl being normallv ur e;

ing is a hub 13 which carries an iudicater hand let adapted to swing over a chart 15 which is Visible from the front of the scale. Secured to the indicator hand 14 by means of screws 16 and slightly spaced from the hand by means of spacers 17 is a ratchet 18 having a stop 19 which projects rearwardly and lies in contact with the stop 12 when the load-counterbalaneing mechanism of the sale and the indicator hand are in zero position.

WVound about the hub 13 ot' the indicator hand is a flexible cord 20 of linen or other durable material which supports an elongated weight 21 so that the weight 2i tends to rotate the hand 14 in a clockwise direction.

Such rotation of the hand is, however, normally prevented, even when a person steps upon the platform and thus causes the stop 12 to move clockwise away from the stop 19, by a pawl 22 which is fixed to a pin 37 rotatably journaled in the upper end of a bracket 23 secured to the frame l into Q- gagement with the teeth of the ratchet by a small counterweight 2a.

Pivoted, as at 25, upon the bracket a transversely-extending lever 26, one end of which carries a coin receptacle 28 which is positioned beneath the inner end of a coin chute 29 extending inwardly from the face of the scale, so that a coin deposited in the chute will fall into the receptacle. The lever 26 is slightly overbalanced by means of adjustable weights 30 carried by the end of the lever opposite the coin receptacle 2'8,

but the overbalancing action of the weights 30 is so slight that the smallest coin (one dime) will swing the end of the arm which carries the receptacle downwardly. The re ceptacle is of approximately wedge shape, one of its sides 31 being fixed to the lever 26 and the remainder of the receptacle being pivoted to the side 31, as at 32, so that when it is swung about its pivot the lower end of the receptacle is open.

F iXed within the scale housing "in a position below the receptacle 28 is a finger 33 which, when the receptacle moves downwardly, is engaged by a stop 34 on the receptacle (see Figure VII), so that the receptacle is tilted upon the pivot 32 and its lower side is open to release the coin or slug contained therein. It is apparent that. the operation of the lever 26 and the recep' tacle 28 in releasing the coin is independentof the shape of the coin and that it will operate equally well with any slug that may be inserted in the chute 29, even though the slug be square or of other noncircular shape, and that the operation of the device by the use of noncircular slugs will not cause it to jam. After the coin is released from the receptacle 28, it slides down the inside of the housing 1 and is discharged into a suitable receiving chamber (not shown).

Pivoted to the lever 26 adjacent its tulcrum is an upwardly-extending link 35,

the upper end of which is connected to an arm 36 which is fixed to the pin 37 that carries the pawl 22, so that when the lever 26 is caused by the weight of a coin to swing about its pivot, the arm 36 is pushed upwardly and the pawl 22 moved downwardly out of enga einent with the ratc.iet 18, leaving the indicator hand 1% free to rcvolve clockwise under the influence of he weight 21 except as its movement is limited by engagement of the stop 19 with the stop 12.

Movement of the lever 26 caused by the weight of a coin in the receptacle 28 and the return movement caused after the release of the coin by the counterweights are retarded by means of a retarding device 38 which may be regulated in the usual way to len t-hen or shorten the time of movement of the lever 26 and the time that the pawl 22 consequently remains out of en gagement with the ratchet 18.

In order to prevent movement of the lever 26 when no load is on the scale platform, a detent 40 pivotally supported by the bracket 23 and provided with a counterweight 4-1 is normally positioned in the path of the lever 26. The detent is provided with a tail piece 42 adapted to be engaged by a lug l3 on the rod 5, so that as soon as the rod is moved downwardly the detent'atO swung out of the path of the lever 26.

If it is desired that the detent 40 he moved out of the path of the lever 26 by a very small weight on the scale platform a lost motion connection may be interposed between the steelyard 5 and the pendulunis 4. Such a lost motion connection is illustrated in Figure III. In the construction illustrated in this figure, the upper end of the steelyard rod passes loosely through a head 45 and is provided with lock nuts 4H1 which engage the head after the rod has been moved downwardly a short distance. The head 45 is normally pulled downwardly away from the nuts 46 by means of a pair of weak coil springs 47. \Vhen a small load is placed upon the platform the sprin 47 are stretched out and the rod lllOVGi'l downwardly a short distance before the load begins to act through the head 4-5 upon the pendulums 4. In this short initial movcment of the rod 5 the lug 43 is pulled down wardly against the tail piece 42 and the detent 40 is thus moved. out of the path of the lever before any considerable pull is ex erted upon the automatic load-counterbalaneing mechanism. 7

In the operation of my device, the person being weighed usually steps upon the scale 1', ounces When a coin is deposited in the chute 29 and falls into the receptacleQS, the lever 26 moves slowly downwardly, causing-the pawl 22" to be withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet 1'8 so' that theindica'tor hand 14 may swing under the influenceof the weight 21" until the stop 19 again comes 'intosenga'gement witht'he stop 12. With the stops thus engaged, the weight of the person on the platform'willrbe correctly indicated. lVithin a. short time, however, the lever 26will have returnedato'its original position =andthe pawl 29 will have" become re-engaged with the ratchet 18 so that another weighing for the same coin cannot be made.

When the person steps oil the platform, the pendulums 4wi1l return to their original positions, moving the rack bar 6 downwardly and turning the pinion 7 andshaft 8, and the stop 12 revolving with the shaft 8 will act through the stop 19 to cause the indicator hand to return to its zero position, the pawl 22, because of the direction in which the ratchet will turn, riding over the teeth during the return movement of the indicator.

If the coin be deposited before the person to be weighed steps upon the platform, the lever 26 will be caught in its downward movementby the detent and when the persons steps upon the platform the detent 40 will be moved out of the path of the lever 26 and the device will. operate in the same manner as though the person had first stepped upon the platform and then deposited his coin.

The embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims,

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, weighing mechanism, indicating mechanism, means for normally holding said indicating mechanism in locked position, a pivoted arm, a coin receptacle carried thereby, meansfor overbalancing said arm to normally hold said coin receptacle in elevated position, the overbalancing effect of said overbalancing means being capable of being overcome by the weight of a coin, whereby a coin deposited in said receptacle will swing the portion of said arm carrying said receptacle downwardly, means con nected to said weighin mechanism whereby downward-motionoft e portion of said arm carrying said receptacle is prevented except upon operation ofsaid weighing mechanism,

andLmeansso connecting said arm and said locking means as to release said locking means when said receptacle moves down wardly; i

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, weighing mechanism, indicatingmechanism, means for normally holding said indicating mechanism in locked position, apivoted arm a coin receptacle carried thereby, means for 'overbalanclng sa1d arm to normallyhold 581d coin receptacle 1n elevated position, the overbalancing effect of said overbalancing means being capable of being overcome by the weight of a coin, whereby a coin deposited in said receptacle will swing the portion of said arm carrying said receptacle downwardly, means connected to said weighing mechanism whereby downward motion of theiporti'on of said a-rm carrying said receptacle is'prevented except upon operation of said weig iing mechanism, means so connecting said arm' and said lockingmeansas to release said locking means when said receptacle moves downwardly, and meansfor discharging" a coin finmsaid receptacle as it reaches its lowermost position.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, indicating mechamsm, means adapted to hold said indicating mechanism in locked position, a pivoted arm,a coin receptacle carried thereby, said arm being slightlyoverbalanced to hold said coin receptacle normally in elevated position whereby said arm is adapted to swing on its pivot under the influenceof a coin in said receptacle, means connecting said arm and said locking means to release said locking means when said receptacle moves downwardly, means for discharging the contents of said receptacle as it reaches its lowermost position, and damping means for retarding the movement of said arm to allow sufiicient time for said indicating mechanism to function. v

4, In a device of the class described, in combination, indicating mechanism, means for normally holding said indicating mechanism in locked position, a pivoted arm, a coin receptacle carried by said arm, means for overbalancing said arm to hold said coin receptacle when empty in elevated position,

the influence of said counterbalancing means being such that said, arm may be swung about its pivot by the weight of a coin in said receptacle, means connecting said arm to said locking means to release said locking means as said arm is swung about its pivot by the weight of a coin, and means for opening the lower end of said receptacle to discharge its contents as it reaches its lowermost position.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination, automatic load-counterbalancing and indicating mechanism, including a rotatable member adapted to rotate to indicating position in accordance with the position of said automatic load-counterbalancing mechanism, said rotatable member havin a stop connected thereto, a second rotata 10 member, mounted, co-axially with the first said rotatable member and having a stop adapted to engage the stop connected to the first said member when both rotatable 1nem bers are in corresponding indicating position, a flexible member wound about the hub of the second said rotatable member, and a Weight supported by said flexible member and tending to rotate said second rotatable member to bring the stop thereof into engagement with the stop connected with the first said rotatable member.

. 6. In a device of the class described, in

combination, automatic load-counterbalancing mechanism, an indicator hand, a lost motion connection between said load-counterbalancing mechanism and said indicator hand permitting said load-counterbalancing mechanism to move to load-counterbalancing position while said indicator hand remains stationary, said indicator hand having a hub,

a flexible member wound about said-hub, a weightsuspended by said flexible member and tending to turn said hub in a direction to swine said indicator hand to a position corresponding to that of said automatic loadcounterbalancing mechanism, and coin-controlled apparatus for normally locking said indicator hand against movement. I

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, automatic load-counterbalanciog mechanism, indicating mechanism, a lost motion connection between said load-counterhalancing mechanism and said indicating mechanism permitting said load-counterbalancing mechanism to move under the influence of a load without movement of said indicating mechanism, means tending to turn said indicating mechanism to a position corresponding to that of said automatic .loadcounter-balancing mechanism, means for locking said indicating mechanism against movement, means adapted to be moved by the deposit of a coin, and means requiring operation of said automatic load-counterbalancing mechanism and said coin-moved mechanism and adapted upon the operation of said mechanisms to unlock said indicating mechanism.

LEWIS CALVIN WETZEL 

